Kiss the Prince
by Tishbing
Summary: Spock, Prince of Vulcan, is due to be named successor to the crown but due to his cousin T'Pring he may not be able to. The stipulation of having a compatible mate to rule beside him has been impossible. His DNA was poisoned. T'Pring may become the next Empress and destabilize Vulcan's neutrality by aligning them with the Klingons. Extreme AU Fem!Kirk/Spock
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Jo-Ann Kirk was in the middle of her latest set of calculations, courtesy of one old vulcan when a red alert sounded. Dropping her stylus and PADD, she ran out of her small quarters. The _Enterprise_ was a barely serviceable cargo ship but it was her home and her hope.

Since her birth, it had been an end goal to rid the universe of Nero. The radiation from his entry into her universe had altered her DNA, making her into who she was today. His attack on her parent's ship had resulted in the death of her father, brother and, subsequently due to her difficult birth, her mother, leaving her alone in the world until she had been picked up by a crazy old Vulcan that had also been from Nero's universe.

He hadn't been in time to stop the loss of the Kelvin but he had been able to force the Romulan ship into retreat. He had quickly adopted baby girl Kirk, born on escape shuttle 37, and hid her away to teach her everything he knew to keep her safe and to eventually take down her parents' killer.

It had been two years since he'd left her, too. He had died after their raid on the Klingon prison planet. They had destroyed the futuristic ship and Selek had successfully wiped all of the Klingon's intelligence on it and it's technology. While the prison burned around them, she had held him as he lay dying. Her provider, her protector, her father from another universe. He had gifted her with the knowledge of his lifetime and his achievements through a meld. His parting gift to help her stay safe and finish his work of protecting this universe from the havoc that Nero could bring.

Selek's world was vastly different. Earth was a part of a United Federation of Planets, as was his home planet of Vulcan. Here...Earth had a type of Federation but Vulcan remained an independent, neutral system. The outlying colonies had joined with Earth but the main system preferred their neutrality. They were a mysterious super power in the alpha quadrant. Outworlders were not welcomed often, trade even more rare. Some people said they were barbaric savages while others maintained the belief that they had no emotions. The colonies were a logic based vulcanoid species, calm and intelligent. They did not speak of their home world simply to explain the reason for their leaving was that the majority of their species did not wish to adhere to the emotional control Surak stipulated.

It wasn't long after Selek's death (as she later learned, Ambassador Spock) that Jo had discovered that Nero and some of his crew had survived their attack and had soon became the hunter rather than prey. His resources became greater when he joined the Romulan empire. He soon found out that Selek had passed down his knowledge of the dangerous substance known as red matter to Jo-Anne and got full dispensation from the Romulan Star Empire to hunt her down to obtain that information.

Since then, it had been a continuous strategic retreat by Kirk until she could find a way to take him down. Selek's knowledge had helped her build up a small side business of cargo trading with the primary mission being her determining a way to destroy Nero. Her crew was small and so was her ship but it was home.

Chekov was her navigator and best hope to figure out the mess Selek left in her mind. Sulu was her pilot while Nyota was her second in command and best negotiator. She was the other half of her business and Jo couldn't run it without her. Scotty kept their ship together and provided the best moonshine this side of the alpha quadrant. They were a motley group but they were loyal and the best at what they did.

Stepping onto the small bridge, Jo saw that the lights were dimmed to the emergency reds. Sulu and Chekov were sitting rigidly in their seats, the lights on their panels showing a weapons lock on their ship clearly making them nervous. Jo turned to Uhura who was typing on the comm panel frantically trying to reach someone.

"Uhura, what's going on? You sent our ident in? We're expected. Late as hell but expected."

Uhura ignored her and continued typing. The view screen showed they were surrounded by automated weapons platforms, the heads of their phaser cannons glowing an ominous red.

_"Unidentified ship, you are in violation of Vulcan airspace. Our borders are closed at this time." _

"Chekov? Back us off real slow." Kirk told the young russian.

"Keptin, I can't. They have us locked in a helix formation. We're trapped." His shoulders were tense and fingers white as he gripped the board.

_Dammit! _She knew she shouldn't have accepted the trade agreement with the Vulcans. Her hold was full of useless Fav'init seeds that the P'Jem colony had contracted her to transport and now she was about to be blown up for a bunch of damn flowers.

"Captain! They're hailing us!" Uhura shouted.

"On screen." Now they were gonna get some damn answers. Jo straightened her jacket and moved forward so that she would be the focal point of attention.

The screen lit up, a young vulcan woman sat at a desk frowned at them, her sharp angular features showing her displeasure at doing a task he probably considered beneath her.

_"I am Councilor Tyno of the Vulcan Empire. We do not detect any-"_ Her eyes fastened on Jo and darted to Uhura, an interested gleam lit up on her features before it was quickly schooled back to the bored visage of earlier. _"-significant level of advanced weaponry or technology on your vessel. Our borders are closed to outsiders at this time. State your business."_ Jo was glad Scotty was down with his engines and didn't hear the slur against his baby.

Jo stiffened under her gaze, brushing a long strand of blond hair behind her ear. "We are transmitting our trade contract now. We were requested by the P'Jem colony to bring supplies to our contact in the Shi'Kar province."

Kirk glanced back at Uhura who nodded, signaling that she sent their documentation. The vulcan on screen glanced over the paperwork with one eye still fixed on the two women. It was starting to make her nervous.

_"I can see that. In that case, we welcome you to Vulcan. As it is during our coronation time, security has been elevated. No weaponry is permitted on the planet."_ She smiled and Jo felt uneasy. _"To apologize for our inhospitable welcome even though you were invited to Vulcan, feel free to take advantage of our hospitality free of charge for the duration of your stay with us and we will assist with the unloading of your cargo."_

Jo threw up a hand. "That's not-"

_"We insist."_

Before she could argue the vulcan terminated the connection.

"What on earth was that?" Sulu spun around and Jo honestly didn't know.

She turned to Chekov. "They still got us in a lock?"

Chekov scanned over his console, eyebrows drawn together. "Yes, Keptin but they have modified it to allow us passage to the planet. I am receiving coordinates now."

Jo ground her teeth in irritation. "Well, looks like they rolled out the red carpet for us. Who are we to refuse their...hospitality." Her experience with Selek had compelled her to trust Vulcans as a race but now, she was kicking herself and she hoped like hell her naïveté didn't end up getting them killed.

"Take us in."

Jo shook herself roughly as the ship powered down in the shipping yard. She hated having to land her ship on planets. Every time she was surprised that it held together. Probably due to luck and a certain Scottish engineer.

"And we are down." Sulu turned back smirking, knowing how much Kirk hated landings.

"Smart ass." She grumbled and he laughed harder at her.

"Kirk?"

Jo turned, catching Uhura who was waiting at her elbow.

"The Vulcans are waiting to board and..." She glared at the wall as if she could see them through the metal. "...I don't trust them with the cargo. Something's not right. They've already issued payment even though they haven't inspected the cargo. I think I'm going to stay aboard with Scotty and co-ordinate the transfer."

Kirk frowned at Uhura, agreeing with what she was saying but a good customer wasn't necessarily a bad one just...unusual.

"You just want to have some alone time with that husband of yours, don't you?" Jo smiled at the darkening of Uhura's cheeks.

"Guilty but not until the job is done." She handed over the small handheld PADD she was carrying. "But another thing is that we have been invited to a small celebration. The key word being 'we'. It could be loosely interpreted as the entire crew but they mostly want 'the captain and first officer' who handle the transactions."

Jo scrutinized the form and sighed. It was worded politely as a request but it was anything but. Selek had warned her about the social obligations with Vulcans. You could easily offend and considering a trade contract with them was rare and valuable, she didn't want to push it.

"Coward. You're abandoning me." Jo muttered.

"You know it. Councilor Tyno creeped me out and it's been too long since Scotty and I have had a minute alone." Uhura smiled and spun on her heel, ponytail flipping behind her almost mocking Jo.

Jo huffed, turning to her helmsman and navigator. "I can depend on you two as my wingmen, right?"

Both men eyed each other, unsure. "Well-" Sulu started but was interrupted by an elbow in the ribs by Chekov.

"Of course, Keptin! You can count on us."

The PADD directed them across the city square to a large structure. It looked as if it had risen out of the ground rather than be built from it. It's tall spires stretched high in the sky, almost looking like it could reach T'Kuht, Vulcan's sister planet which hung low in the night sky.

Even though it was late evening, the heat had yet to tone down into a true desert night. Jo pulled a tie from her pocket and pulled her long hair back from her face now covered in a slight sheen of sweat. Her traveling companions huffed next to her, pulling at their collars to try a and compensate for the thinner air.

A rhythmic thumping was her first impression as they entered the building and Jo was taken aback, her original beliefs of the vulcan people shaken. Selek's memories were nothing like this.

The large room had music playing, couples tucked off in corners and drinks exchanged. Jo even saw a few kissing in the human was but it seemed to be a strange ritual of sorts. The walls were draped in deep red fabrics, giving everything a sort of secretive haze. The vulcan men wore various designs of clothing, most accentuating extremely muscular chests. Black tunic-like pants hugged their legs while a sash held them up. The men's hair was typically short, tucked behind delicately pointed ears that was at odds with the whole rugged appearance. They almost seemed on the prowl.

The women on the other hand were very different. They were dressed in very form fitting red dresses, some with their midriffs showing, their hair tied in intricate designs on their heads, gold accents throughout the delicate knots. Some women wore jewelry, a large orb in the hollow of their throat, black or a glittery red and all had make-up artfully done. Jo felt rather underdressed in her black slacks, work boots and white shirt.

"So this is the fabled home world of the vulcans." Sulu's eyes tracking a female who was watching him back with slight interest.

Chekov nodded excitedly. "Yes. They declared their intentions to stay neutral and independent over 1900 years ago, the break away colonies leaving then. No one ever thought they'd survive but they have and thrived. The Federation and the colonies have failed at every attempt to get them to forge a coalition. Their knowledge and skills at science, the arts and even war is revered."

The trio made their way to the bar, each taking a seat either side of Kirk. Jo signaled for the bartender when a woman with a round face sidled up to Sulu holding a small tear-shaped bottle in one hand. She opened it and used the lid that had a dropper to place a drop on her tongue, offering the other end to Sulu with a smile.

Kirk threw out an arm. "Oh no. He doesn't rave anymore."

The woman smiled brighter, her eyes fixed on Sulu. "It won't hurt him. It's just for the kiss."

Sulu shrugged and threw a smirk at Chekov before accepting a drop on his tongue. Both her and Chekov watched in curiosity as they touched the tips together before pulling away. "Tastes like an old-"

The woman surged forward, wrapping a possessive arm around the helmsman's neck pulling him into a passionate kiss. Sulu's hand jerked in surprise before stilling as she pulled away with a disappointed expression and left.

He had maybe a minute before another woman walked up and performed the strange ritual. She left disappointed for some reason and Sulu had a lazy smile on his face.

"Perfect. An entire planet designed for your rutting instincts." Kirk snapped.

"I am _never_ leaving this planet." Sulu pumped a fist into the air and wandered off leaving her and Chekov who had turned a bright shade of red matching the hanging fabrics.

Kirk turned to her companion but was met with a large, handsome vulcan male, his hand holding the tiny bottle and a predatory glint in his eye that made her flush to the roots of her hair. "Uh...no, thanks. Try him." She threw a thumb pointing at Sulu who had started the ritual with a third woman. "He seems to _love_ kissing."

She scooted under the beefy arm of a very disappointed man and moved to a more secluded area, catching sight of Chekov stuttering at a vulcan female of his own. She decided to keep an eye on her crew. It seemed like it was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

**I was gonna wait a few days but...I couldn't. Too eager. I promise that Spock is not a bad guy and will not hurt Jo even though it looks bad. I swear! Even though he's a baddie in my other story. Reviews make my day and inspire me to write faster so please review! **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Two

T'Pring sat back, her excitement palpable as she surveyed the room. Soon, everything she had worked for would be _hers_. In a matter of solar days she would be named successor to the crown as it should be.

Spock should _never_ have been considered for the crown. His mixed blood may have been kept a secret from the public but she knew of his weakness and that of his father. Humans were an inferior species. They lacked physical strength, their intelligence was laughable and their sentimentality was pathetic. Sarek made a grave error when he had chosen to mate with the human Amanda Grayson. It was fortunate that she had perished on an Earther ship when she had decided to visit her family on Earth. She was a weak influence.

"T'Pring, my intended, it appears that there is a female that your dear cousin has yet to kiss or have dragged in for genetic testing."

Stonn's words broke through her musings, a surge of disbelief swarming her. "_What_?" She growled, her drink shattering in her grip as she vaulted to the edge of the balcony.

Below, she could see a human female, her yellow hair a stark contrast to the sea of black and brown of her fellow vulcans. She was sat against a wall, sipping a plaas savas juice and watching the crowd around her with a frown on her face.

"Your fiancé is correct. You told me the borders were closed. No new visitors."

T'Pring's head snapped up at the deep growl. Her associate, Karn, moved closer, his eyes narrowing on her. She despised Klingons but they were a necessary evil to achieve her goals.

"And you said it didn't matter." She countered. "That I would assume the throne no matter how many potential suitors were brought in because Spock will never find a compatible female."

"His chemical compatibility has been irrevocably altered. Our scientists made sure of that. You will be Empress." He growled.

"Your scientists had better be sure." She glared at the Klingon, his cranial ridges were thrown into stark relief by the lights only emphasizing his sheer alienness. "Do you realize that my uncle has begun negotiations with the Federation? If I am not named successor to the crown, I know that they will turn away from the Klingon Empire, instead allying themselves with the weak."

Karn growled, his grip on the railing tightened causing the wood to creak.

"If you don't become Empress, I will not marry you." Stonn whispered into her ear. T'Pring was tempted to tell him she did not care but he knew too much.

T'Pring scowled at Karn and turned her attention back to the floor below her. Knowing her dear cousin, he wouldn't wait long.

Clearly Vulcans didn't need much sleep to function the next day. It was well past 0200 and Jo could see Chekov was slumping in his stool, a large vulcan man holding him around the shoulders and stroking his hair with a tender expression while Sulu was snoring next to her. It was time to head back to the ship. If things went to plan they would be leaving by tomorrow afternoon after they stocked up on a few necessities.

"C'mon Sulu." She elbowed him in the ribs and got a grunt in reply. "Lightweight." She muttered and shoved him hard. He jerked awake, eyes flying open and Jo could see an impressive hickey on his neck. Apparently, vulcans were biters. Jo smirked when he found the bruise and groaned in embarrassment.

"Go get Pavel. I think that he may have made friends a little too easily."

Sulu blanched at the sight but complied leaving Jo to collect her leather jacket and throw a few credits in the table even though they had been free. Jo didn't like hand-outs. She turned and almost collided with a tall vulcan woman, her expression haughty as her robes billowed and swirled around her. She looked down at Kirk. It took her a minute in her sleepy haze but Jo placed her.

"Councilor Tyno! It's..." Jo struggled to find a word to describe seeing her but decided to throw on the charm to get out faster. "...pleasant to see you again but we are about to head back to our ship-"

"Your ship is still in the final stages of unloading. A moment longer will not affect your schedule unduly."

Jo grimaced at the woman's interruption. "Of course, councilor. What can I do for you?"

She put her jacket back on her seat and smiled tightly, her unease at being watched by the woman increased. Tyno moved aside and a man moved forward holding one of the small tear shaped bottles. Jo felt her heart speed up at the sight of him.

He was big, his chest and arms were nothing but muscle covered by a small red vest that looked as if it was straining at the seams. Black tunic pants hugged his toned legs down to his calves where black boots started. His hair looked windswept, almost like he'd done it on purpose and his ears tapered into a fine, delicate point. His face was regal in appearance, a chiseled jaw showed determination but it was his eyes that caught Jo's attention. Deep dark brown that drew her in. They were beautiful but there was a glint of mischief in them that was in stark contrast to his serious appearance. She could feel the heat flooding her face and knew she had to get out of there.

"I'm all partied out. Maybe another time." She moved around only to have her move countered and still, the man stood in front of her.

"Please."

His voice was a deep baritone, the sincerity behind his plea caused Kirk to shiver. When Jo looked up, he looked down. His hand raised up and fingertips gently brushed down her cheek, an almost electric tingling followed their trail. Jo swallowed, throat suddenly dry and nodded.

"Thank you." He smiled and Jo shivered at the intense look. He carefully opened the bottle, placing a drop on his tongue then moved to her. She felt compelled by him and opened her mouth, allowing him to do the same. It had an oily texture but no flavor.

He leaned forward and Jo held her breath, her heart beating a violent tattoo against her ribs. The second their tongues touched it was like an explosion on the tip of her tongue, overwhelmingly sweet.

She leaned back to catch her breath but couldn't. His large hand caught her at the back of her neck and cradled her skull, fingers threading through her hair as he moved forward and caught her lips. Jo's mouth opened in a gasp and he pressed in, his tongue twining against hers, spreading the sweet flavor into her mouth.

Jo's toes curled as he deepened the kiss, his other hand holding her hip possessively as he tilted her head and pulled her closer, licking into her mouth, tasting her. A warmth spread throughout her, pooling in her stomach and lower as he moved against her. Her head buzzed with a pleasant sensation making her dizzy and her hands reached up, clutching at his chest in an attempt to ground herself.

He leaned back after what felt like hours with a final nip to her lips, a promise of more that made her knees shake and he was smiling, his eyes black with only a thin ring of brown surrounding them and it made him look feral.

"Uh..." Jo caught her breath and swallowed, her legs wobbling like a newborn foal's as she righted herself and touched her lips, tingling and kiss-swollen. "Kind of like molasses." She started to trip over her feet and the man moved quickly, guiding her gently to her chair as if she was made of glass and she glared at him. She was _not_ some swooning maiden.

"The kiss was sweet." He said to Tyno and eyed Kirk, muscles tense and it seemed like he was holding himself back. He stared at her for a moment, a satisfied smirk quirking his lips before turning and sweeping out of the room.

"Guards." Tyno shouted and Jo was suddenly surrounded, four men and women with weapons. Kirk was pulled up by a woman that could have given an Amazonian a run for her money and they took up a formation around her.

Chekov and Sulu were on the other side, shocked expressions on their faces as she was marched away from the bar. They looked ready to leap in and try and rescue her but three humans that were tired against five vulcans...with weapons was not good enough odds. She jerked her head and mouthed later as they moved her to the exit.

Sulu looked like he had swallowed a lemon, lips pursed angrily and fists held at his side but he gave a terse nod while Chekov glared at her ouright. She knew Uhura was going to _kill_ her.

They led her outside and into a waiting car, Kirk squished in the middle in the backseat between the two largest of the group while Councilor Tyno left ahead of them in her own car, a smug smile on her face. Jo briefly considered making a run for it but the moment she had moved slightly away from the group, the woman next to her had grabbed her upper arm in a vise-like grip and steered her gently but forcibly back.

The desert passed in a blur, the dark outlines speeding past and it was quiet and tense in the hovercar. The sound of a shrill beeping caused Jo to jump and she had to squirm to grab her comm out of her back pocket, the guards either side of her watching.

"Kirk here."

"_Kirk! What the hell's going on? The Vulcan Imperial Guard has come down here and impounded our ship!"_

Uhura was practically screaming. Jo winced as continued.

_"First, they made us go through a health screening, taking my blood and after an hour they left. Then they came back five minutes ago while Scotty and I were...anyway, they said they have orders that we can't leave. What did you do?!" _The last words were a growl and Jo was about to respond when her communicator was snatched out of her hand.

"No communications." The ape next to her held her comm unit and Jo bristled.

"Now look here, cupcake-" Jo snapped but stopped as he crushed the device in one hand. Well, shit.

Jo shifted in her seat and stared straight ahead, her anger starting to boil over. Her ship had been taken from her, her people stuck all because of some stupid misunderstanding.

The cars slowed and Jo could make out an impressive structure. The darkness made it difficult to see but it was a forbidding presence. The sheer size of the building was unbelievable. There were numerous towers and buttresses, the walls between them looked strong and imposing. Jo could see a number of guards, similar to the goons surrounding her, patrolling the building and Jo's heart sank knowing it was going to be almost impossible to escape.

Jo was lead out of the car and into the building. It made her think of the medieval castles in Earth history but there was a distinctly alien feel to it. The walls were an earthy tan stone, fabric scrolls with vulcan script were every few feet lit by flaming sconces. A plush red carpet at her feet muffled their footsteps as they moved through the entry and the loud clang behind her told Jo that the door had been locked.

The maze of corridors left her in a daze until they came to a large open room. It was different from the rest of the castle. The lights were bright and artificial. A clinical smell of antiseptic made her recoil and back away only to bump into the chest of the guard behind her who didn't even seem to notice.

"Ah, Captain Kirk. I'm pleased you could join us." Councilor Tyno came through the door opposite and following behind her was a human man, his hair messy and shirt was rumpled, clearly having just woken up.

The room they were in was clearly a type of medical bay. There were three biobeds lining the wall to her left, the screens above them were dark but clearly on stand-by. Cupboards and shelves were next to them filled with advanced equipment, bandages and hyposprays. They were meticulously labeled and organized and a tray on the counter next to the nearest bed had equipment laid out and ready for use.

"Not like I had a choice." She growled.

Tyno gestured to the bed nearest to her and Kirk stuck out her chin, fully defiant and Tyno sighed, her arm lowering.

"What is going on?" Kirk snapped.

"You kissed our prince."

"Because you _asked_ me to. So?"

"You're compatible."

Kirk blinked and shook her head slightly, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "What...does that mean?"

"It means that you can provide him with healthy children. That you can be his mate."

Jo's hand dropped, incredulity made her jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

Tyno stiffened, her eyes narrowing at Kirk. "We would like you to consider marrying our prince."

Jo laughed and looked around. It was an hysterical laugh. "You would just _have_ to be this side of my life to understand how _fucking insane_ that is?"

The vulcan woman glared at Kirk who couldn't seem to take the situation seriously. "You would be empress. Most would die for this opportunity."

"_Die_. You see? Die is the operative word there. Am I under arrest?" She tilted her head and waited. Tyno pressed her lips together in irritation, a small line between her eyebrows as she fought to suppress a frown.

"Doctor McCoy here is going to perform a routine examination to determine the state of your health." She moved aside and the brown haired human stepped forward giving a perfunctory nod.

"Like _hell_ he is." Jo crossed her arms. She hated doctors and most of all, this one looked like an asshole. He rolled his eyes at Jo like she was a recalcitrant child and grabbed a small wand-like instrument from the tray.

"Am. I. Under. Arrest?" She asked slowly.

Tyno shifted uncomfortably. "Well...no."

"That's all I needed to know." Jo spun on her heel only to be stopped by the mountain of muscle behind her, weapons raised but not pointed at her. Growling Jo turned around. McCoy looked at Tyno who nodded and he moved forward slowly towards her.

"You are not under arrest, Captain but by order of the Emperor, as a potential suitor to the prince, you are to be placed in protective custody."

Jo didn't see McCoy move but she sure as hell felt the sting in her neck. The sight of councilor Tyno started to blur, the edges darkening.

"You bastard." She cursed but all that really came out was a groan, her limbs becoming heavy as she started to fall. Arms caught her and her world tilted. The last words she heard was "I am sorry, Miss Kirk."


	3. Chapter 3

**hi! I had hoped to have Kirk's meeting with Sarek and Spock in this chapter but...I was tired and it's late. :( Sorry! I hope this will do in the meantime. Please read and review! I live for them! Any ideas, feel free to PM me and I'll see what I can do! Thank you!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Three

Nyota Uhura was furious. No. She was worried and furious. Jo wasn't responding to any of her comms. Her husband hadn't been able to track her handheld comm which meant it had either been destroyed or turned off with the power cell ripped out. Her money was on the former considering their ship was suddenly impounded.

She'd thrown on what clothes she could and grabbed a hold-all to shove everything in reach into before the armed vulcan guards removed her and Montgomery from the _Enterprise_. It was nearly morning before she found Sulu and Chekov.

Both young men had their heads in their hands and looked up dejectedly as she approached them, Scott in tow.

"And just where the _hell_ have you two been?" She snapped.

Chekov winced and buried his head while Sulu looked round, almost paranoid, before answering. "We've been trying to get a hold of the captain and figure out why our ship isn't being released."

"And?"

Sulu shrugged. Chekov lifted his head. The poor kid looked miserably guilty. "Eet was my fault." Sulu gripped his friend's arm in support. "No, Pavel. It was both our faults. We were supposed to be Jo's wingmen."

Uhura pressed her lips together and closed her eyes to collect herself. Signaling to the servers to be able to order some coffee or the vulcan equivalent, her and Montgomery sat down.

"You both know as well as me that Kirk could find trouble with her eyes closed whether or not we're there to bail her out."

Both men didn't look too reassured and she had to roll her eyes. "Remember the last time we went to Earth? She almost wound up enrolled in Starfleet and it's not like you can just quit an organization like that."

Sulu smirked at the memory. Even bloody and bruised after a bar fight, a Starfleet captain had tried to steal Jo away from them. He hadn't realized just how close her bond with Selek and her crew had been. This had been before Chekov had joined them and Sulu was new to their crew. Both he and Uhura had seen the longing in Jo's eyes. The possibility to explore space rather than her focus being the extermination of Nero and handling a small cargo trading company. Her sense of responsibility had won out and they had left together once their ship had been repaired at Riverside Shipyard.

"What happened to the lass, anyways?" Scotty passed around the tea that had arrived and started in on some vegetable mush that was served as a breakfast meal.

"She keesed a prince and zen zey took her." Chekov nodded to Sulu.

"Yeah. It was the weirdest thing. She didn't even seem to want to but they kind of cornered her." Frowning, Sulu continued. "The man and her seemed to get kind of into it but once they separated he said something to that Councilor Tyno and then left. After that, palace guards appeared out of nowhere and they basically frogmarched her out of here."

Uhura wanted to pull her hair out. They were due at Andoria to collect a shipment meant for Betazed in a week. "Of all the _stupid_-" she cut herself off and took a deep breath before being bumped into roughly. Her tea sloshed over her fingers, burning them slightly and she glared at the offender only to see a broad back encased in armor and long black hair. Once he turned, Uhura had to stop herself from gasping in shock.

"What the bloody hell are klingons doin' here?" Scotty whispered.

"I dunno but I've never seen one without a hoard of weapons on him. They don't do peaceful celebrations." Sulu squinted and the Enterprise crew watched as the Klingon met up with a very angry looking vulcan woman and left in a hurry.

"Crew of _Enterprise_." Uhura stiffened as she heard a familiar voice. One that had haunted her dreams since she had joined Jim's crew four years ago.

"I don't believe we've ever had the pleasure of meeting in person."

Uhura's hand slapped to her hip where she'd normally have a phaser but came up empty due to Vulcan's weapons policy. The entire group moved back, fists clenched and ready to strike.

Nero smiled unctuously down at the group, his smile menacing as he elbowed his way into their group.

"I'm unarmed and bear you no ill will. It's your captain that I am interested in." He opened his hands as if to prove he was harmless but they knew better. If he was here, they had to leave with their captain or come up with a plan.

"The kiss was _sweet_! The palace physician confirmed it! Your scientists failed and they're _genetically_ _compatible_." T'Pring hissed at Karn. She was beyond furious.

Karn growled at her and watched the group of humans from their secluded alcove.

"The Emperor is going to be announcing their engagement later today!" She moved closer to the Klingon, practically snarling. "I am supposed to be named as successor to the crown, not my pathetic cousin!"

Karn had had enough. He spun and pinned the vulcan woman to the wall, his hands tight enough on her biceps that bruises bloomed under his fingertips. T'Pring's eyes widened in surprise and fear. Leaning close, he whispered in her ear. "You will rule because we desire it, not because you do."

He smiled, sharp teeth glinting in the light when he felt the woman's pulse jump under his hands. "Look at the bigger picture. There is more to the situation than meets the eye, T'Pring."

He spun her to face the group who now had a tattooed Romulan sitting with them. If the Romulans had planted this female to gain a foothold on Vulcan, then the Klingon Empire's plan to assume control was in jeopardy. He had spent three years gaining the trust of T'Pring, his superiors would not allow failure.

"I believe that the suitor to the crown will need to die tragically within a matter of days."

T'Pring shuddered under his grip but nodded in agreement. More information was needed.

Kirk woke with a curse and a gasp, arms out and ready to punch.

"Mornin'"

Her head pounded and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls. Damn doctors. Damn Vulcans. Jo looked around her room, squinting her eyes at the bright sunlight. It was enormous. Tan stone walls with heavy tapestries, the bed she was in could easily fit four people. Heavy drapes adorned the windows but had been pulled back to let light in. The furniture was all a type of heavy, dark wood leading Jo to think of antiques. A small alcove housed a collection of deadly looking weapons that she could only hope they were ornamental but the markings on the blades suggested they had been used...many times.

Jo turned to see McCoy sitting in an armchair next to her bed, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in speculation. It was then she noticed the smell of coffee. Two delicate cups with an actual french press sat on a silver serving tray, a small pitcher of cream and sugar bowl sat next to them.

"Coffee." She grunted as greeting.

McCoy harrumphed and poured a cup, handing it to her which she took gratefully. She couldn't kill the doctor before having some caffeine.

"It's my own personal stash." He told her as he poured himself a cup.

Jo sipped the beverage and noticed she had different clothing on. She didn't even want to know. It was a form-fitting top, long sleeved and shimmery white, hugging every curve. A similarly tight pair of pants, white also, that ended in a boot-cut. She hated it.

"I noticed a few poorly treated breaks in your bones. The emperor agreed that it would be best to repair the damage."

Jo's grip on her cup tightened to the point that she was sure the ceramic creaked.

"I was fine before with my bones the way they were." She snapped.

"Oh, really? Can you _honestly_ tell me that your left knee wasn't bothering you?" McCoy only looked amused at her glare which pissed her off more. She wasn't about to admit he was right.

McCoy ignored her silence and nodded to her body. "I figured you'd be more comfortable in those. They help regulate your body temperature so that you won't feel the heat as bad or the cold."

McCoy watched her thoughtfully and snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah. Almost forgot."

She, again, didn't see him before a sharp stab and hiss hit her in the neck. Jo slapped a hand to the spot.

"To compensate for the lower oxygen til you adjust." He smirked and she just growled. That had _hurt_.

Jo scooted off the bed and wrapped the sheet around her. She wasn't normally body shy but she felt vulnerable under McCoy's sharp gaze. There's a robe to go over your thermoregulator and supplies in the bathroom." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Jo quickly moved away.

She grumbled as she finished her morning routine and pulled on the soft boots. There was no way they'd hold up to any sort of real walking. The robe helped her feel a little more covered but she still wanted her jeans and steel-toed boots back. She pulled her hair into a twisted knot at the base of her neck and felt ready enough to face the day.

McCoy was waiting for her when she stepped out. "I figured you might prefer a tour from a human rather than Councilor Tyno. She takes a bit to get used to."

"Is this my cell?" She waved an arm to indicate the room.

"Your _room_, for now."

Rolling her eyes, Jo followed as McCoy led her out.

He showed her the gardens, the elaborate halls, and told her of the history behind the S'Chn T'Gai clan rule but he still hadn't answered why she was here. "Look, I'm sure this is all nice and everything, Doctor but why the hell am I here? I said no."

McCoy sighed and led her to a parlour. "You are the only female that we have found that can provide the prince with healthy children."

_Children_? Oh, hell no. That was not on her agenda. "You want an egg donation?"

McCoy shook his head, his expression close to pity. "That wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

McCoy's jaw clenched. "The eggs would be rejected by a vulcan womb before they implanted successfully."

"Then do a different human."

"There isn't enough time."

Jo sighed in frustration. It was like everything she was saying was conveniently ignored. "I _can't_ stay here. I told you all last night. I have a life, a job to do and friends. You _aren't_ listening."

The doctor moved closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it seems like that but look at it this way, it could be a blessing."

"Most would say the burden of ruling is a curse rather than a blessing."

Both humans turned. A tall, slim vulcan woman walked in. She was truly beautiful but her eyes were cold and distant. Her nose wrinkled when she looked Jo over as if she had smelled something particularly foul.

Her hair was twisted up into an elegant coif, jewels sparkled around her throat and her make-up was artfully done to make her into an almost savage beauty. A rather plain young vulcan girl trailed behind her and adjusted the emerald cloak on her shoulders.

"_Later_." She hissed. "Ignorant girl." Shooing away the servant, she moved closer to Jo, her fingers touching her jewels and the sharp, long nails only added to the fearsome projection.

"I'd like to have a word with my soon-to-be cousin. Alone." She said pointedly to McCoy.

The doctor didn't look intimidated. "Miss Kirk isn't to be left unescorted at any time."

"And who's orders dare to counter mind mine?" Her nails scratched at her cloak and Jo was surprised the fabric didn't tear. She was clearly someone who wasn't used to being defied. Jo would bet a month's salary this woman was a hair-puller in a fight. Definitely not used to doing a day's honest work or earning anything for herself. Spoiled.

"Your Uncle. Emperor Sarek."

She sneered at the declaration. "You would do well to remember your station, doctor." She spun on her heel and left in a huff, the timid servant following with a nervous twitch.

"There's always one in every family." Jo shook her head sadly. "Just who was that bitch?"

"T'Pring, next in line for the throne if Prince Spock fails to marry by the anniversary of his birth."

"Which is when?" Jo asked, knowing she was going to hate the answer.

"A week."

Yeah...not the answer she was hoping for.

A soft knock at the entry to the parlor interrupted Jo's retort. A servant entered and bowed. "There are visitors for you, Miss Kirk. They were...rather insistent."

It was a bit of a shock to realize that the bow was for her. "Uh..." She turned to her guide. "Can I have a minute?"

"Of course. I'll let security know. They'll be as unobtrusive as possible. You're free to roam around the palace but you're not authorized to leave."

Jo's lips pulled down in annoyance.

"If you're not careful, the wind'll change and your face'll freeze like that, kid." He turned and left. Jo flipped him off at his back.

"I have a hypo that can fix that finger twitch." He quipped as he left and she quickly pulled her hand back remembering how heavy handed he was with those things.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! I am so sorry for the lack of an update. My little brother passed away and I had to travel abroad to take care of that and put him to rest. I will try harder to update more frequently. I hope this chapter is ok and the next one will have the meeting with Sarek as well as some baddie shenanigans.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Four

Jo waited as Uhura and Scotty came into the small drawing room. She could see that they were tired and worried from the paleness of their faces and the lines of tension around their eyes. It only served to make her angrier and frustrated with the situation.

Scotty settled himself on the small couch at the back and started to eat the krei'la bread T'Meri left as a small breakfast while Uhura paced, irritated.

"Nero's here."

As if things couldn't get any worse. Jo cursed under her breath.

"How do you know this?" Jo had been keeping the Enterprise and her crew in Federation space the past two years to prevent this. They weren't ready for a fight against Nero. The loss of Selek had hit them hard. His knowledge was invaluable and Jo was still trying to figure out the mess he left in her head to turn it to their advantage.

"He offered us a deal to turn you in."

Jo's head snapped up. "What? Timeshare at his condo from hell?"

Uhura rolled her eyes.

"He said he'd leave the rest of us alone and not kill you if you let him have access to the information Selek left you in his meld."

Kirk grit her teeth. There was no way she'd been betrayed. "And you said...?"

"That I'd talk to you about it."

Jo's jaw dropped, shock leaking into her body. "What?"

Her hands fisted in the wish to throttle her second-in-command.

"I was stalling! Listen, Kirk! Montgomery and I think it might be the safest option for you to..."

"To what? Get married?" Jo's eyes narrowed. "The prince might be a cute guy and it might be nice to go shopping every day for the rest of my life but I am _not_ getting married!" Jo started pacing while Uhura's cheeks turned red from anger at being interrupted.

"As I was saying, the safest option would be for you to stay here in the palace. We have a better chance of figuring something out the longer you at least pretend to love this guy." Uhura flicked her ponytail and rolled her eyes at Jo's expression.

"Love? _Love_? There is no love! You _have_ to get me out of this!" Pulling at her hair with an almost manic expression, Jo-Ann looked close to insane.

"Marriage isn't that bad." Scotty said in a small voice.

Jo snorted and glared. "Figure something out. I, meanwhile, am going to find a prince, whose first name I don't even know, and am going to tell him that I am _not_ his ticket to the throne." Jo spun on her heel and swept out of the room in a foul mood.

She stormed through the halls, her anger keeping her movements clipped and stiff, as she moved towards the gardens at the back. The palace was bright and airy in the light of day, not as forbidding as it had appeared last night but it was still unwelcome. The servants bowed at Jo in passing with reverent stares that became annoying after the fifth time and made her change her route to find the prince to the exterior gardens.

Her theory of him escaping the confines of the palace like herself had proven correct when a servant pointed her in the direction of a large open area not too far from where Jo had started her trek.

The heat seemed to cause the air to shimmer around her. Jo stood at the edge of the clearing. A large vulcan male moved in a rhythmic, jerky fashion, his hands tightly gripping a staff-like device. On one end was a sharp blade-like implement and the other was a bell-shaped club thing. Jo-Ann easily recognized the lirpa.

The prince swung it around in a tight arc, his wrists stiff and his feet firmly planted. Jo winced at the display. It was as if the prince was focusing the fighting type to use brute force. Selek had shown her a very different fighting style utilizing agility, the ability to take an opponent down in small increments not in one fell swoop.

He pivoted, his back straight as he jerked the lirpa and lost control, the weapon clattering to the floor.

"You're holding it wrong." Jo took pity on the prince, her anger placed on a back burner at the sight of failure.

The prince's head snapped up with a growl, his body in a full defensive stance and Jo had to wonder what had happened to him for him to be so on guard.

Their eyes met and Jo felt a bolt of recognition. His eyes looked so familiar but she couldn't place him. She'd never been to Vulcan before and only knew one. The vulnerability in those eyes immediately was hidden as soon as he recognized her, a mask of impatience flew up.

"And what would you know of our ways, outworlder." Bending to collect the weapon, the prince brushed an errant strand of hair out of his face. He was only wearing loose pants held up with a blue sash and boots.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Your grip is too tight and your stance needs to be shifted."

The young prince moved forward, fast enough that Jo had to take a step back to compensate.

"Uh...Jo-Ann Kirk. I don't think we've been properly introduced." He was so close she had to back up to see eye to eye. Well, eye to shoulder.

The man looked down and smiled at her nervous attempt to assert dominance and Jo swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

"Spock. After all, you are to be my wife in a matter of days." His confidence came back in the face of her nervousness. He was really an impressive looking man.

"Show's what you know." She grumbled under her breath and Spock's smirk grew.

He thrust the lirpa into her hands and stepped back into the clearing, moving to the weapons rack at the edge and he picked up another one for himself. The one he held had different colorings to Jo's.

He moved into the opening stance, his grip and legs taught and ready to go, a defiant glint which Jo couldn't resist. Well, if that was how he wanted it.

Jo shrugged off the robe, leaving herself only in the white form fitting clothing from earlier.

"Are these the practice sets?" Joan asked as she moved to stand across from her opponent. It had been a long time since she had sparred with vulcan weapons with Selek.

"I welcome the challenge." Spock answered.

Rolling her shoulders, Jo stretched her arms and moved into position, twirling the weapon and standing in a loose fighting stance, balancing lightly on the balls of her feet. It was heavier than her set back on her ship, the weight throwing her off slightly and forcing her to arch her spine to balance better.

"You do know I can't marry you, right?" Jo moved in a circle, Spock stalking her movements like a panther with dark eyes.

"I told you, I _welcome_ the challenge." Spock struck, a quick forward thrust that Jo had to dodge quickly to prevent the blunt end hitting her on the shoulder. Jo spun and twisted ending up behind Spock so that when he turned, he looked surprised.

The challenge was _definitely_ welcome to her as well. The sudden change in the atmosphere was almost electric as Spock eyed her as an opponent after her opening defense rather than prey. Jo smirked back and steadied her hands as adrenalin flooded her system.

"Bring it on." She growled and Spock struck again, this time aiming the blade at her chest. Jo leaned back in a deep dip, her body twisting left to right and down. Jo seized her chance and kicked out with her left foot, sweeping in a low swing and kicked the Vulcan's leg with a firm but controlled kick. Spock's leg shook as Jo rolled away and he recovered quickly. He swung his lirpa down hard and Jo barely had time to bring her own up in time to parry the move.

Jo twisted and turned, using Spock's strength against him and ending up back to back where Spock grunted in frustration and spun to face her.

His cheeks took on a green flush as he readied himself again and this time Jo struck first. Selek had always taught her to never fight angry. Control.

She feinted left and as Spock lunged Jo swung the blunt end of her lirpa to Spock's wrists, his weak point because of the strong but brittle grip, knocking the weapon out of his hands and she twisted fast on her toes to change her grip and swing with the blade.

The splash of green caused her to go cold in the face of her victory. It was supposed to be a tap, a bruise and all Jo could see was blood. The clang of her lipa on the ground was loud as she stared.

Spock looked at Jo with wide, shocked eyes. The cut on his shoulder not deep but surprising. No-one had bested him before, let alone a female.

Spock touched the wound with his fingers, as if testing the reality of the situation. Jo's face had drained of all color.

"Oh my god!" She whispered and moved forward.

"I am uninjured."

"Bullshit!" Jo was quickly recovering from her panic at hurting the prince and rapidly starting in on anger. "You do not spar with real weapons! I could have killed you!"

Jo shoved at the vulcan, the movement no more effective than that of a child's.

"I highly doubt that, Jo-Ann."

Another shove and Jo stomped over to her robe, tearing off a piece of the lining and marching back. Spock watched as she carefully wrapped the fabric around the cut, her delicate fingers quick and sure.

"You _idiot_. What if I'd've hit an artery or a major muscle and cut deeper." She tied off the makeshift bandage and traced the edges with her fingers to check the tightness. Spock felt his heart speed up in his side at the caring gesture. The gentleness at odds with her words. It was very much like his own mother, to scold yet show compassion to those they cared for. A very human thing.

His breath caught as her hand trailed along his arm. Even though he knew she was simply checking her work, it was pleasant. He could smell a sweet fruit fragrance from the soap that she must have used. It was likely that the human doctor, McCoy, supplied her with the items. Spock growled at the thought of another male supplying his mate with what she needed.

"Prince Spock? Are you ok?" Jo's face flushed at the deep growl and Spock quickly straightened and stepped away from her. He needed control.

He looked at the human, the female that was to be his wife. He still found it an amazing stroke of what his mother would have termed luck that she had been found. Most vulcan women were strong but demure and only used their words to attack. This woman used tactics, her hands and she seemed intelligent. His father had prepared a file on her and was still currently researching her.

Spock found her...intriguing. He had felt the siren song of her mind from the first touch of her skin. Perhaps her mind was as compatible as her body. Spock ached to know but it was not yet time. He needed to convince her of the correct course of action, to accept his proposal and ensure his place as King when his father steps down.

He could see the intelligence and defiance in her blue eyes, so rare on Vulcan.

"I just came here to let you know I can't be what you want." Jo picked at her sleeve nervously, slowly moving back to the damaged robe and slipping it on over her thermal suit.

Spock felt a cold sensation settle in his chest, his entire future was in this female's power. His very life.

"May I enquire as to why?" Spock placed his hands behind his back and stood waiting.

Jo let out a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair and causing it to come loose from the tie, golden strands framing her flushed face. "Well...several reasons."

Spock watched as she paced. "I have my business."

"Your small shipping business. I have seen what the Enterprise is."

Jo glared. "It may be _small_ but it's still _mine_." She snapped.

Raising an eyebrow at the hostility, Spock could see he upset the human. "I meant no disrespect. I am struggling to understand why you would choose a dangerous profession over a position of royalty. If you desired, you could still run your business remotely from here."

Growling, Jo straightened her robe and rolled her eyes. "That's not the _point_. There's also the fact that I don't even know you, let alone love you. On Earth, we don't marry people we don't love."

Spock moved forward before Jo could respond, a hand cupping her cheek. "Then allow me to change your mind. Let me court you. Convince you to marry me." He could feel her tremble under his touch.

"You know you would never have looked twice at me if it wasn't the fact that I was the only one possible." Spock could barely hear her mumble.

Jo looked into his eyes and Spock could see the hurt in her big blue eyes. "No one ever looks twice." She muttered and tried to look away but Spock wouldn't allow it. He couldn't.

"Circumstances may have forced me to look twice but I am grateful for it." He moved closer, Jo's breath hitching as Spock came close, their lips almost touching. "I would have never met you otherwise."


End file.
